A Reluctant Runner…

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After reaching my heaviest ever weight last week, I decided that I was going to stop blaming the scales and do something about it. I’ve cut back on the rubbish that I have been eating, substituting it for healthier options (I discovered quinoa – there’s a sentence I never thought that I’d say) and this morning I decided to go for a run.

A few years ago, just before my 30th birthday, I bought myself a stunning designer dress in preparation for the party that I had organised. I had never spent that amount of money on an item of clothing before (or since – my diabetic cat and her vets bills have seen to that) but I decided to treat myself. The dress was just a little bit too tight for my liking and showed all the wrong lumps and bumps, but it gave me the ultimate motivation to lose the weight that I had been procrastinating about for months. I bought some decent running shoes and several times a week I ran up and down my local park with my best friend, puffing and spluttering my way through it in a manner that closely resembled Phoebe from Friends.

I hated every minute of it, but over time it got easier and I discovered that after just a few weeks I could do 5k with relative ease. My plan worked – I managed to lose just enough weight to feel comfortable in the dress and I thoroughly enjoyed wearing it.

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Two years later, I’ve gradually slipped into old habits, and have not only put the weight back on, but I’ve added an extra 15lbs that snuck up on me and slapped me in the face when I stood on the scales recently. I’m pretty ashamed of myself. My dress now doesn’t even go past my hips, and this has prompted me to set a goal over the summer to change my lifestyle, lose the weight and wearing the dress again – it’s too beautiful to be just sitting in the wardrobe. So, this morning, I put on my running gear, set my Nike app, my 5K tracker and my playlist and did some warm up exercises. It was a glorious morning and the park next to my house was almost deserted.

Thirty minutes later, I arrived home. I had completed just 2km and burned 153 calories walking and running in timed intervals. Just like two years ago, I hated every single footstep – the only saving grace being the awesome playlist that I had set myself. My face appeared to have been replaced with a bright red, sweaty tomato with eyes, my legs were jelly, my chest was burning and I almost felt like I was going to be sick.

Gorgeous.

Still, everyone has to start somewhere! Here’s to a sweaty summer!

What about you? What’s your exercise of choice?

You can also find me on Twitter and Tumblr @suzie81blog.

38 thoughts on “A Reluctant Runner…”

  5. I tried that couch to 5k… I hated it with a passion! I decided running is not for me. Fast walking, dancing and weights are my choices.
    And I feel your pain Suzie, having putting a stone since last summer, I too need to get back into shape.
    Good luck!

  6. I absolutely loathe running, but I do it as often as I can, not only for the physical benefits, but the mental ones as well. That jellied feeling in the legs, the exhaustion, all of that makes me feel like I’ve accomplished more than any other exercise I’ve tried. I trained for a few months with a former combat Marine who told me that I had to “Learn to love to run.” I promptly told him to go straight to hell, and that my hatred of running was damn near religious.
    Good on you, keep at it, and best of luck!

    • Haha! I have thought about training with somebody really fit, but if I have to do it with someone else trying to ‘encourage’ me I would probably get really irritated!

      • Oh, I agree, I hadn’t done it by choice. I was training with an academy and he was one of our big runners. Our instructor was one of those sick SOBs that runs marathons for fun, and used to use our sessions as his own training for the day…we’d sometimes get dragged along for 5 of 7 miles so he could get his workout in. I hated every miserable step.

  7. I’ve been following Paleo/Caveman diet (loosely) for years to great effect. This is essentially high in meat, low in carbs. A superb site if you are interested is http://www.marksdailyapple.com . Much easier to get into running when you’ve dropped the excess pounds. A change in diet is the most effective way to remove weight. You’re eating healthier already which is a start. Best of luck Suzie!

  8. I’m not a runner, but I like to mix it up – walking/jogging, yoga and a once-a-week strength training. The variety helps me stay motivated. Of course, as I say that I haven’t done any of these things for a few days!

  10. Weight gain sucks! I have faith that you’ll turn it all around though! Quinoa is amazing, and I pretty much each it with every meal. It takes two weeks to form a habit, so keep up with your routine and exercise will just feel like a part of your day in no time!

  11. I do yoga three times a week to keep fit and make my mind healthy. Yoga is complicated but if you have tried it once, you will be addicted to it. Anyway, I think we should choose what suitable for your physic and the result will be good.
    I love the photos, too ā¤

  14. My go-to exercise is jogging in the evenings but now that I have class three days a week that kinda looks sticky. So I’m contemplating yoga in the mornings but that’ll mean I’ll be late for work . . . sound like a plan, right?! Keep up the jogging though!

  15. For what it’s worth, I’ve recently lost a stone at Slimming World. I like it because you eat loads, it’s just you have to limit certain things. I’m really not an exerciser of any note, but make myself walk into town 3x per week (half an hour each way) at a real striding pace, and as a music lover I can just put the headphones in and multi task! It’s enough to get the metabolic rate going without feeling like jelly afterwards.

  17. I started running a few months too, and yes hated every second and despite improved fitness didn’t see any weight shift (soul destroying!) I too have slacked, but still lack that motivation to get up and go! I love swimming, just wish it was cheaper to go!

  18. Go, Suzie, go!! Running, as I’m sure you know, is my exercise of choice. It’s become such a habit that I cannot go without it. I start feeling sluggish and sad until I strap on the Nikes and hammer out a few miles. A fun playlist, comfy shoes, and a faithful running buddy have made all the difference for me. Good luck, lovely! Soon you’ll be enjoying it!!

  19. My personal belief is that no one should run unless someone is chasing after them with a dangerous weapon šŸ™‚
    Cycling works for me, so does walking and a little tennis. Whatever you choose it has to be something you actually enjoy doing or it won’t stick. If excercise is looked upon as a punishment rather than something you enjoy and look forward to it just won’t last – believe me I’ve been there.
    Find things you enjoy doing and someone whose company you enjoy to do it with and you’ll be off.

  22. I love the two dogs and the way you describe your post run feelings, too! I am so bad at reading posts in order!
    Sorry, Suzie, I made a comment on a more recent one inquiring about your ‘run.’ I am always happy to read that someone has set a goal and glad you are now, out and running! I had a wake up call in my forties, where my cholesterol level went way high, had to lose 40 pounds in two years. I found the act of exercising fun, but never ran. I also gave up a lot of carbs, this helped me to get my cholesterol down, too. I lost an extra 10 the third year, so I am glad that is over with! Menopause and stress had managed to get my weight up!
    You go, girl!

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